


New Clothes

by misura



Category: The Watchmaker of Filigree Street - Natasha Pulley
Genre: F/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:35:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24019126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: "Does this shade of green flatter my eyes, do you think?"
Relationships: Grace Carrow/Akira Matsumoto
Kudos: 17





	New Clothes

Grace fretted. Part of her knew she was being rude - after all, how many hours, if not days, had Matsumoto spent in various libraries for her sake? Of course, in addition to making people adore him, Matsumoto also seemed to have a talent for always finding something to do.

She suspected he even considered boredom an activity of sorts, though that might be wishful thinking on her part, something to avoid feeling guilty over her own behavior.

"Well?" Matsumoto asked. "Does this shade o green flatter my eyes, do you think?"

"Your eyes aren't in need of any flattery," said Grace. She wished she could insist on leaving, but that really would be crossing the line from almost to actual rudeness.

"Be that as it may, do you like it?" Matsumoto struck a pose. "That is the more important question, you know. It's why I brought you along in the first place."

Grace had been wondering. Any member of his adoring flock might well have killed for the privilege of being in her position. Rather foolishly, she had assumed that had been why he had asked her: because he didn't want to favor one of his other friends over the others, and because even Matsumoto wouldn't show up at the tailor with a dozen adoring fans in tow to 'ooh' and 'ah' over his new outfits.

"I'm hardly an expert in fashion," she said.

"I know that." Matsumoto's tone hinted at some small amount of impatience, though at least he didn't follow up his comment with a detailed catalog of the sort of clothing he thought she ought to wear, the better to show to advantage. "I'm asking for your personal opinion."

"Why?" Grace asked, honestly mystified.

Matsumoto gave her a long look. "Why do you think? Employ some of your scientific reasoning, do."

Grace supposed she might have been intended to feel flattered at being invited. Matsumoto took his clothing not quite as seriously as she herself took her scientific pursuits, but even so, this was not an activity one undertook with strangers, or people one disliked.

It might, perhaps, be considered an activity one undertook with intimates. Close friends, at any rate. Persons whose opinion one valued highly and whom one trusted to be honest.

"Well?" prodded Matsumoto. "Though I must say, the expression on your face is mildly worrying."

"I - " Grace said. She liked Matsumoto, of course. She did not quite know how it had happened, but it had. "You flatter me." She did not add that she felt flattered; that would be a lie.

In truth, she felt rather awkward, as well as a bit resentful for having been made to feel that way. Matsumoto knew her situation perfectly well. For him to impose on her like this, to make such a display of his feelings for her, even in a setting as intimate as this one - she thought it was rather shabby, and less than she would have expected of him.

The realization that she had held expectations in regards to someone like Matsumoto only added to her annoyance.

"Flatter you?" Matsumoto frowned. "What are you going on about now, Carrow? I only meant - as I had hoped would be obvious, that seeing how my clothes end up in your possession as often as not, I thought you might as well have a say in the process of acquiring them."

"Oh," said Grace, feeling at once relieved and foolish. "How ... sensible of you." She refused to acknowledge what small part of her felt disappointed. When dealing with Matsumoto, one had to keep one's expectations reasonable and responsible. If one did, one would find him quite reliable.

"That's a bit insulting, don't you think? I'm sensible quite often," Matsumoto said.

"Of course," said Grace. "Yes. It looks fine, I think, and I'm sure it would suit me very well also."

"Exactly what I was thinking, too," Matsumoto said. "Remarkable, isn't it? Two so very different people, and yet here we are, finding perfect common ground." He chuckled. "Very well. I'll take it, then, hoping you'll let me show it off a few days at least before stealing it for your own use."

"I'm not a thief," protested Grace. "It's not theft when it's only borrowing."

"It's not borrowing when you don't return them," Matsumoto said. "And anyway, I don't mind as much as that. It's a good excuse to buy some new ones, after all. " He winked at her.

Grace sighed. "Can you at least move things along? I have other things to do this afternoon, you know."

"So do I, believe it or not," said Matsumoto, undisturbed. "But very well. You try on this one now, then, and let me see how it fits, and then we'll go and have something to drink somewhere, after which I will let you have your freedom again. Is that not generous and agreeable of me?"

The jacket still felt warm against her skin as she put it on, and for a moment, Grace thought she might close her eyes and believe it was Matsumoto himself touching her, instead of only a jacket he'd worn for no more than a handful of minutes. It had his smell, too.

"Happy?" she asked Matsumoto, amazed at the way she sounded.

"One tries," said Matsumoto. "One strives. One cannot do more than that. You approve, then? Excellent. Please remember my request regarding the speed with which you may acquire it for your own use."

Grace wished she could have told him to keep his jacket, but experience had taught her better by now, so she kept her tongue, meekly standing by as Matsumoto paid for his purchases, the shop assistant half under his spell already, flushed and stammering and with a familiar look of adoration on their face.


End file.
